10 Ways to Use a Steam Cleaner Around the Home: HomeRight Steam Machine Review

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Years ago, when my YouTube channel was just starting off, one of my very first videos was a HomeRight Steam Machinereview.

It was this awesome little blue steam cleaner that removed gunk from my shower like nobody’s business, not to mention it cleaned stinky pee from my sons’ bathroom toilet.

If you watch the video now (and people still do!), you’ll see that I had no microphone, the video was dark in some parts, and it just looks dated (although my hair looked fabulous! HA!).

So when HomeRight mentioned they were going to be re-promoting that old video, my hands went up to my face and I groaned, “Ugh! That video is so ooooooold! I need to make a new one!”

I offered to make a new and improved one that would be better quality (especially better sound quality!) and can showcase some additional uses that I hadn’t included in the original video.

This blog is not just about DIY projects, but it’s about how to improve and maintain your home. That includes cleaning!

So let’s jump right in!

BEFORE

Steam Machine Review – 2013

Plus, how many times do we bloggers review and promote products we love, but never revisit it to tell you whether we still recommend it?

Not often.

I wanted to share with you guys that, yes, I still do use HomeRight Steam Machine, and that there are a bunch more ways to use it around the home that I hadn’t even mentioned!

And the bonus is that my little guy, Kojo, made a fun guest appearance! 🙂

I mean…he kept video-bombing me, so I figured why not just invite him to be a part of the intro?

That’s smart parenting right there…

AFTER! – 4 Years Later

HomeRight Steam Machine Model 53

As much as I love a clean house, I typically hate cleaning!

I generally am so busy with other projects that involve more creativity so taking time out to do something that is so mindless just isn’t at the top of my priority list.

But when I need to do a deep cleaning, especially on our toilets, my Steam Machine is what I gravitate towards because it’s the only thing I have found that actually gets it clean in all the hard-to-reach places.

You’ll see in the new review video that I included a few additional ways to use the steam cleaner that I hadn’t mentioned in the previous video.

Cleaning toilets (including the dirty lever)

Disinfecting toothbrushes (and blasting out trapped toothpaste)

Sinks and faucet handles

Floors (bathroom, kitchen, and more)

Getting wrinkles out of delicate clothing

Windows

Trash cans

Cleaning tile grout (this one was a biggie!!)

Furniture stains (just don’t use it on leather)

Grills

Other Ways You Can Use the Steam Machine

I kept the list in that video to 10, because who doesn’t like a nice round number, right?

But there are other ways to use it, too.

I’ve been doing reviews with the Steam Machine over the years, and have used it in other places, which you can see below.

Can You Clean Your Car With a Steam Cleaner?

Yes, you can!

HomeRight makes another version of the Steam Machine called the AutoRight Steam Machine which comes in a RED color, but the only difference is that the AutoRight comes with different cleaning attachments. But honestly, you could just use your blue Steam Machine and stuff and get good results on the interior of your car. See how I used mine in this video.

And yes…my minivan was this dirty!!!

I’ve got 3 boys…what can I say?

Can You Clean Your Oven and Stove With a Steam Cleaner?

Definitely!

If you’ve got a self-cleaning oven, you probably wouldn’t need to use a steam cleaner to clean your oven and stove.

But if you don’t, you’re in for a treat. The Steam Machine is perfect for this job. You can see my amazement in this video I did in early 2015 when I cleaned out my oven with it. It was such a mess! Some people still can’t believe I put my dirty oven on blast for the world to see, but hey–someone’s gotta do it. LOL

And don’t forget–you can use this on small ovens, too, like the little toaster oven that sits on your countertop and never gets cleaned!

AFTER!

Cleaning Tile Grout With a Steam Cleaner

Seriously, it works the best, especially with the brass utility brush. The stiff bristles work better than the nylon bristles on grout.

I have a rental property and one year I was getting the place ready for new tenants. It was the only thing that whitened the grout for me, and, I didn’t have to use harsh cleaning chemicals!

Thankfully, in our foyer, we have dark grout, but even so, you can still see how the dirt was released with the steam and brass cleaning! Gross.

Even More Uses for the Steam Machine Steam Cleaner

Some things I have never covered in videos or posts when using the Steam Machine, but you can definitely use it to:

Kill dust mites in your mattress with the steam. (ICK!)

Deep clean your refrigerator, especially the handles.

Get rid of carpet stains in your house.

Remove stickers from windows and glass.

Kill germs on doorknobs and other high-traffic places that hold germs.

Disinfect kids toys, especially baby toys that go in the mouth.

Remove paint from sinks. My laundry room sink gets gross because of cleaning up paint brushes in there. The brass attachment with the steam cleans it up easily.

Much more!

Being Safe With a Steam Machine

Steam Machines are safe to use, but there are some safety precautions you need to take.

Don’t skip the manual! I’m notorious for glazing over manuals and jumping in. Call it stupidity. But there’s important information about how to use this machine safely. Don’t be lazy. Take a few minutes to read. It’s pretty short.

Lock the trigger if you have kids! On the gun nozzle part, be sure to lock it whenever you walk away from it, even for a moment, especially while it’s warming up!

Aim it away from you. This is a no-brainer, but never aim it at yourself or others. Once it warms up, that first initial blast of steam shoots out excess scalding hot water with it.

Don’t use the unit for more than 45 minutes. This comes out of the manual. I guess the machine will overheat…? So keep your bouts of cleaning to under 45 minutes, then give the machine a rest, unplug, and use it again after it has cooled down.

Don’t steam clean windows or glass colder than 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Better to not have glass shatter in your face, my friends! Save the steam cleaning on windows and glass on days it’s not at or below freezing!

Let it fully cool down before opening the cap to add more distilled water. The pressure inside could blow hot steam in your face. And just note that you should use distilled water to extend the life of the machine. Get a gallon distilled water at any grocery store for super cheap!

Label your attachments. Don’t clean your toilets with the same attachment to clean your baby’s toys! YUCK! You don’t want to cross-contaminate. Be sure to buy extra attachments and label them a marker.

The Hiccups With the Steam Machine

So if I am going to do a review, I have to tell you about the imperfect things, too, don’t I? 🙂

My first Steam Machine quit working. After about 2-3 years, my original Steam Machine just stopped working. I’m not sure why. I’ll be honest and admit that many times I stopped using distilled water because I just wanted to clean something right.this.minute and may not have had distilled water on hand. So that could be the problem! Try to use only distilled if you can.

The onboard storage is hard to open sometimes. All the small attachments are stored on board, which is super handy so you don’t have to go looking for them. But you’ve got to give it a good yank to open it up. I guess it’s a good thing so that the container doesn’t pop open unexpectedly. But at times, I wish it were a little easier to open.

Aside from those two things, the Steam Machines have been awesome!

Since this is the only brand of steam cleaner I have used, I don’t have anything to compare it to. But I don’t think I would need to. It gets great reviews on Amazon, and the feedback I hear from people that have bought it after my first YouTube review 4 years ago, has been positive.

Where to Buy the Steam Machine?

You can buy the HomeRight Steam Machine directly from HomeRight’s website, and you can even get it from HomeDepot.com. But the easiest and quickest way to get it is to buy it from Amazon.com.

At the time of this blog post, the price on both Amazon and Home Depot’s website is $148.82, and both offer free shipping, but Amazon can get it to you faster, even if you’re not a Prime member.

And if you’re a Prime member–woo hoo! Two-day shipping. Ahhhh……What would this world be without Amazon?!?!!

So there you have it, folks–my thoughts on the newest model of the HomeRight Steam Machine (model 53).

This is a product that you definitely would use a lot around the house for many things, and the best part is that you wouldn’t have to use harsh chemicals. You’d also save a lot of elbow grease since the steam and attachments do much of the work.

Have you ever tried a Steam Machine?

Leave a comment below and let me know if this HomeRight Steam Machine review was helpful for you! 🙂

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Comments

Serena, you are so beautiful and cute! 😀 Adorable little boy, too. I had never really considered a steam machine before, these things sound like real workhorses. Maybe eventually I’ll pick one up!! Thanks for the video. 🙂